Head banging

Head banging is the rhythmic movement of the head against a solid object and is marked by an almost compulsive repetitiveness. The reported incidence in childhood varies from 5 to 15%. The male to female ratio is approximately 3 or 4 males to each female. While the exact etiology is unknown, the suggested etiologies include: an integral part of normal development, a kinesthetic drive, a tension releasing maneuver, an attention-seeking device, a response to restricted activity, a consequence of emotional deprivation, and a response to various acute illnesses. The onset is usually in the latter half of the first year of life and generally ends spontaneously by four years of age. Head banging generally occurs before normal sleep. The duration may vary from a few minutes to an hour. The frontal-parietal region of the head is the most frequently struck. Although head banging appears alarming, the child seldom inflicts significant damage to the head. The physical examination in children who are head bangers is usually normal. Laboratory investigations are generally not indicated. The appropriate treatment of head banging is to offer the parents a supportive and reassuring explanation that brain damage is unlikely and that the child will outgrow the problem.     

Head lice

Head lice infestation is associated with little morbidity but causes a high level of anxiety among parents of school-aged children. This statement attempts to clarify issues of diagnosis and treatment of head lice and makes recommendations for dealing with head lice in the school setting.     

Head trauma

Summary Society continues to pay a high price for the toll taken by head trauma. Attention must be paid to preventing these injuries, especially involving motor vehicle accidents and bicycle accidents. Current treatment of serious head injuries demands skilled airway management in the field; rapid transfer to Pediatric Trauma Centers; meticulous attention to oxygenation, ventilation, and systemic perfusion during the resuscitation phase; rapid identification and early surgical management of mass lesions; and aggressive control of intracranial pressure. Our hopes lie in better programs for prevention, improved understanding of the dynamics of the ongoing neurologic injury both at the organ system and cellular levels, and improved programs in neurorehabilitation.     

Family Caregiver Marginalization is Associated With Decreased Primary and Subspecialty Asthma Care in Head Start Children

Background

Urban minority children are at risk for poor asthma outcomes and might not receive appropriate primary or subspecialty care. We hypothesized that preschool children with asthma whose caregivers reported more barriers to care would be less likely to have seen their primary care provider (PCP) or an asthma subspecialist and more likely to have had a recent emergency department (ED) visit for asthma.

Head posture measurement

A technique is needed that will accurately measure head posture at all ages and without instrument artifact. A simple photographic method that allows such quantitative measurements is described. Studies have confirmed that it provides an accurate record of the three components of head posture. The advantages and limitations in clinical use are discussed.     

Head injury in children

Summary 641 consecutive cases of head injuries admitted to the Irwin Hospital, New Delhi, were studied. A fall was the most common cause of head injury in children. The study stresses the importance of the level of consciousness in the assessment as well as management of head injuries. The very low number of cases undergoing surgical intervention in the series and the presence of significant findings of compression in 11 autopsied cases, suggest the need for more expertise and vigilance in the management of head injuries. Based on M.S. thesis “Clinical study of Head Injury” Delhi University.